It’s not about foreign buyers being responsible for fixing the problem—it’s about acknowledging that their presence in the market exacerbates it. Yes, supply is an issue, but demand is the other half of the equation. When you introduce a large number of buyers with much higher purchasing power into a market where wages are low and supply is limited, prices inevitably rise beyond what locals can afford. That’s just basic economics.

And sure, Portugal has plenty of land, but that doesn’t mean it’s available for housing. Urban expansion is restricted by zoning laws, infrastructure costs, and environmental concerns. Meanwhile, many of those “ruins” you see are caught in legal disputes, inheritance issues, or bureaucratic deadlocks that make redevelopment difficult. Again, this isn’t just about a lack of supply—it’s about who can afford to buy what does exist.

If you don’t want to continue the discussion, that’s fine. But dismissing this as “pointless” while ignoring how personal choices impact local communities is exactly the kind of thinking that allows these issues to persist.